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sure you’ll want to do things your own way.’
    Mr Potter glanced at Rob as he shook hands with Mr Wood. ‘Exactly,’ he said. ‘We can’t really have the children telling the teachers what to do, can we? Nice to meet you, Mr Jones. I . . . er . . . I’d better go.’
    Mr Potter walked away, and immediately Rafi, Rodrigo, Tommy, Jamie, Tulsi and TJ surrounded Mr Wood and Marshall. ‘Are you going to come back and work here again?’ demanded Tulsi.
    ‘I’m sorry,’ Mr Wood replied. ‘I’m working in another school. Mr Burrows invited me back for the quiz, that’s all. I bet you’re looking forward to the Cup semifinal next week. Are you ready?’
    The friends looked at each other. ‘Well?’ asked Mr Wood. ‘What’s the problem?’
    ‘Mr Potter doesn’t think TJ, Jamie or Tulsi should play,’ Rob said finally. ‘He says they play plenty of football already and the others should have a chance.’
    Mr Wood frowned. ‘I suppose he has a point,’ he said. ‘And it’s none of my business, you know. I’m not your teacher any more. Sometimes things aren’t easy and you just have to make the best of it.’
    ‘Right,’ said Marshall. ‘I remember when we had a new manager at Wanderers. I was just a kid really, and I thought I knew best. The manager dropped me from the team, and I thought I’d never get my place back , but I didn’t give up.’
    ‘It’s just, when we were doing well it made everyone so happy,’ Jamie said. ‘Losing 9–1 doesn’t make anyone feel good.’
    ‘I see what you mean,’ grinned Marshall. ‘But you’re a talented bunch of kids and you have got the world’s greatest assistant coach with you. I reckon you’ll be fine.’
    ‘It was good seeing Mr Wood and Marshall,’ TJ said to his dad as they walked home. ‘But I don’t think they really understood how bad things are.’
    ‘It’s not their problem,’ said his dad. ‘But I spoke to Mr Burrows and you know what? I don’t think he likes to see the team losing nine–one either. I think you might have some good news on Monday.’

C HAPTER 10
    TJ’S DAD WAS right. On Monday afternoon they had training and Mr Potter seemed to be taking it a lot more seriously. They warmed up properly for a change and then they had to practise dribbling and shooting.
    Halfway through the session TJ glanced over at the school building and saw Mr Burrows standing in one of the doorways, watching.
    After a while, Mr Potter organized them into teams for some five-a-sides. ‘I’ll play with the Reds,’ he said, handing red bibs to Tommy, Danny, Cameron and Jay. ‘We’ll play against Rodrigo, TJ, Jamie, Tulsi and Rob. Miss Berry will organize the other teams.’
    ‘Do you think he’s any good?’ Rob asked TJ, as they pulled on blue bibs.
    ‘Don’t know,’ said TJ. ‘I can’t understand why he suddenly wants to join in.’
    ‘I can,’ said Tulsi. ‘He’s trying to impress Mr Burrows. How are we going to play? I’ll be striker, obviously. Get the ball to me and I’ll put it in the back of the net.’
    TJ laughed. ‘Rob’s been doing these amazing passes,’ he told her. ‘We practised in the park, so be ready.’
    He tapped the ball to Tulsi, and she gave it back to Rob. TJ sprinted forward down the right wing, expecting one of Rob’s piercing through balls. When it didn’t arrive he turned and saw that Rob had played a simple pass to Rodrigo, who’d knocked it on to Tulsi again. Then the ball was back with Rob and he played yet another straightforward pass. The old, careful, cautious Rob was back.
    Moments later Jamie rolled the ball out to TJ and he found himself facing Mr Potter. The teacher was hopping from one foot to the other, trying to guess which way TJ would go. TJ played the ball between his legs and then darted behind him with a big smile on his face.
    ‘Look out, TJ!’ called Tulsi. ‘Man on!’
    TJ had been so pleased with his nutmeg on Mr Potter that he hadn’t noticed Danny waiting for